Device for straightening toes



May 31, 1949. B. M. BALTOR DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING TOES Filed July 4, 1945 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 31,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICZE DEVICE FOR STRAIGHTENING TOES Bella M. Baltor, New York, N. Y.

Application July'4, 1945, Serial No. 603,215

11 Claims. (Cl. 128%81) This invention relates to devices for straightening toes. It is particularly directed to a brace which may be slipped onto the toes of a foot to correct or straighten the toes and also to prevent making the toes crooked.

An object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising interconnected. rings adapted to be slipped over the toes of a foot for retaining the toes in correct relative position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a brace of the character described in which the rings are split to permit the rings to expand slightly and to gently ur e the toes into correct position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the rings are wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, so as to permit movement orthe toes while retaining the toes in correct relative position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable device of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, comfortable to wear,

-a,nd yet practical and efiicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled. in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device embodying the invention on a foot;

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the device embodying the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I designates a toe straightener or brace embodying the invention. The brace may be made of plastic material or other material which while stiff has resiliency and flexibility. The same comprises five rings designated by numerals ll, 12,. l3, l4 and [5, respectively, interconnected by web portions l6, I1, l8 and I9.

The ring II is largest and fits the large toe. The successive rings are adapted to fit onto the successive toes of the foot. All of the rings are 2 split at the bottom as indicated by Ila, Ila, I312, Ida and Ho, respectively. The'rings are'preferably wider at the top than at the bottom. The rings thus have front and rear downwardly converging edges 20 and 2| as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The brace is preferably made of relatively thin, rigid material which has some spring, resiliency orfiexibility to it.

It will be noted that the rings preferably fit over the second joints of the toes. The rings need not be aligned with each other. Thus for example in Fig. 1 the ring I5 is shown to be on? set from the ring H.

The method of making the device I0 is preferably as follows:

The toes are straightened out in any manner and placed in desired correct position. An impression is then made of the toes in a plaster cast. The brace I0 is then made to conform to the impression or cast. Each brace may be made, therefore, for a particular foot.

It will be noted that the brace II) can be worn with shoes or without shoes, and can be made of flesh color. The brace is sanitary, light and comfortable.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a lim-= iting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A toe brace comprising a member having ring portions adapted to receive the toes of a foot, said ring portions having curved outer and inner surfaces and being interconnected by webs at tpoints of tangency between adjacent ring porions.

2. A toe brace comprising a member having ring portions adapted to receive the toes of a foot, said ring portions having curved outer and inner surfaces and being interconnected by webs at points of tangency between adjacent ring portions, each of said ring portions being split.

3. A toe brace comprising a member having ring portions adapted to receive the toes of a foot, said ring portions being interconnected, each of said ring portions being split at the bottom, and

said rings being wider at the top than at the bottom.

4. A toe straightening device comprising a member made of resilient, stiff material and comprising a plurality of ring portions having curved outer and inner surfaces and being adapted to receive the toes of a foot, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions.

5. A toe straightening device comprising a member made of resilient, stiff material and comprising a plurality of ring portions adapted to receive the toes of a foot, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions, each ring portion being split at the bottom.

6. A toe straightening device comprising a. member made of resilient, stiff material andcomprising a plurality of ring portions adapted to receive the toes of a foot, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions, said ring portions being wider at the top than at the bottom and having front and rear downwardly converging edges.

7. A toe straightening device comprising a member having ring portions to receive the toes of a foot, -one end ring portion being larger than the others, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions.

8. A toe straightening device comprising a member having ring portions to receive the toes of a foot, one end ring portion being larger than theothers, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions, at least one of said ring portions being offset from another of said ring portions in the direction of the axes of said ring portions.

9. A toe straightening device comprising a member having ring portions to receive the toes of a foot, one end ring portion being larger than the others, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions, at least one of said ring portions being ofiset from another of said ring portions in the direction of the axes of said ring portions, said member being made of relatively stifi, resilient material.

10. A toe straightening device comprising a member having ring portions to receive the toes of a foot, one end ring portion being larger than the others, adjacent ring portions being interconnected by web portions, at least one of said ring portions being offset from another of said ring portions in the direction of the axes of said ring portions, said member being made of relatively REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,098,397 Pecorella June 2, 1914 2,286,089 Harris June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 365,572 Great Britain July 15, 1930 445,921 Great Britain Apr. 20, 1936 

